


13/01/2019: Clean Slate

by pop_incognito



Series: 365 Drabbles [13]
Category: Fairy Tail
Genre: M/M, Pointless fluff, Post-Tenroujima Arc, Relationship Negotiation, Somewhat
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-01-13
Updated: 2019-01-13
Packaged: 2019-10-09 12:31:50
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,005
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17406953
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/pop_incognito/pseuds/pop_incognito
Summary: Seven years provides Laxus with an opportunity to start again.





	13/01/2019: Clean Slate

**Author's Note:**

> I wrote this at 3am while mildly high on cough syrup, and I'm 99% sure I actually lost where this was going halfway through. I hope it's understandable.......

“Everyone be on guard,” is all the warning Freed gives as he unlocks the door to the house the Thunder God Tribe had once shared, before taking an unexpected seven year absence while stuck on Tenrou Island. Freed puts his hand on the wood of the door, crimson paint peeling off under his touch and flaking onto the front step, and pushes it open slightly. “The runes protecting the house have had seven years to grow in strength – it’s highly likely that we may be thrown right back out on our asses.”

Bickslow crosses his arms, eyes narrowing behind his visor. “Well, at least you warned us,” he grumbles, nudging Freed with his elbow.

“Warned us! Warned us!” his babies coo, flying in lazy circles around Bickslow’s head.

Freed shoots them all a sly grin over his shoulder. “Are you volunteering to go inside first?”

“He is!” Evergreen says immediately, putting her hands on Bickslow’s back and shoving him forwards several steps, even as he starts to complain, calling for Freed to keep her in line. Freed snaps that he isn’t their mother, and that they can sort out their own quarrels, and Laxus stands off to the side with a visible vein throbbing on his temple. He is tired and confused and he wants to lie down for a while before he, too, goes to visit his own abandoned residence.

Returning to the guild to discover that seven years had passed by without them had been an incredibly hard pill to swallow, particularly when even his actions on Tenrou Island still hadn’t been enough to convince Markarov to allow Laxus back into Fairy Tail. Once drinking themselves silly for three days, all the newly returned members realised that they should probably go and discover if they actually still had homes to return to – Freed imagines that several of them are about to go home to rather large rent debts, knowing some of the landlords in Magnolia. Steeling himself, Freed decides to take one for the team and face his own security runes head-on while Bickslow and Evergreen are still arguing with each other in the background.

As he steps over the threshold, he his stopped by a large arm pressing against his chest, and Freed looks up, startled, to see Laxus at his side. “Let me do it,” Laxus says gruffly. “If your damn traps have gotten more powerful, we’re gonna need you in full working order to undo ‘em, now, aren’t we?”

Freed huffs, cheeks tinting very faintly pink because, yes, that does make sense. “Alright,” he concedes, and he draws his sword, ready to combat anything his runes throw at Laxus. “Just don’t swear at me if you get thrown across the street.”

Luckily, nothing happens to Laxus other than some light singeing when the rune flare up before seemingly recognising his presence and settling back down again. Bickslow and Evergreen immediately excuse themselves to their rooms to reacquaint themselves with all their personal belongings, as well as the house’s rather luxurious bathroom, which starts yet another argument that Freed and Laxus pointedly ignore. As Laxus sits gingerly on the extremely dusty couch and nurses his hangover headache in his hands, Freed sets about removing all the security runes on the house so that he can replace them with newer, more reliable ones.

Laxus finds himself watching Freed work through the gaps in his fingers, distracted by the slight crease between Freed’s eyebrows as he frowns in concentration, Laxus’ eyes raking over the curve of lean shoulders that are exposed for once after Freed had abandoned his jacket on the coat rack to give him more mobility to work, leaving him only in his sleeveless undershirt and pants. It’s a view that Laxus has been denied ever since being cast out of Fairy Tail.

“You know,” Freed says conversationally, not looking up from where he is carefully writing new runes into the floor. “These seven years might be a blessing in disguise.”

A snort echoes as Laxus finally drops his hands into his lap, staring at them as he twines his fingers together. “Oh yeah?” he asks, a sarcastic bite to his words. “What for? Enlighten me.”

“A clean slate,” Freed murmurs, and Laxus starts when Freed’s slim hand settles on the top of his head. “A chance to clear the air.”

Laxus looks up into Freed’s eyes, both uncovered for once when he had pulled his hair right back into a high ponytail to keep it out of the way. Freed’s face is soft, but his expression carefully guarded. “Guess I should apologise to you, proper now, shouldn’t I?” Laxus asks, feels his mouth tug up into a grin.

“You should,” Freed says, his own lips bowing slightly into the ghost of a smile. Laxus doesn’t – doesn’t have to. Freed had forgiven him before Laxus had even finished walking away from the Fantasia Parade. “I missed you,” Freed whispers into the sudden silence of the house.

“I know,” Laxus replies, shifting his hands to catch Freed’s up in them, rubbing his thumbs over Freed’s palms. “I did too.”

“You’ve changed.” Freed curls his fingers over Laxus’ thumbs and pulls Laxus’ hands up to brush his lips over bruised knuckles, his eyes closing briefly. “Some of the chips on your shoulders have been patched up.”

Laxus nods. “Guess it’s like you said. Being kicked out was like getting a clean slate. I’m startin’ over. Gonna make the old geezer let me back in.” He drags his hands away from Freed, bringing the Rune Mage with them to fold into Laxus’ embrace, a place he hasn’t been for, well, seven years. “Can I start over with you, too?” he whispers into Freed’s hair, finally letting himself inhale. If Laxus was a cheesy person, or prone to relentless romanticism, he would almost let himself think that the familiar, comforting scent of Freed cured his headache. “Please, Freed?”

Freed takes Laxus’ face in hand and kisses him soundly. “As many times as you need, Laxus.”

**Author's Note:**

> Please comment and leave kudos <3


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